Wales team winners and losers as Warren Gatland continues front-row tinkering against Springboks

Following Warren Gatland’s Wales team announcement to face the Springboks, here are our winners and losers from his selection.

Gatland has included four uncapped players in his matchday 23 – one in the starting line-up and three on the bench – as his charges tackle the back-to-back World Cup winners at the home of English Rugby, Twickenham.

Since returning for his second stint at the helm, the Wales boss has backed youth, and this week’s team list is no different, with Premiership players’ unavailability making for an even more inexperienced outfit.

Winners

James Botham

The Cardiff back-rower was a noticeable exclusion from the Wales training squad for the upcoming internationals and after a call-up just last week, he has been named in the starting line-up against South Africa – talk about seizing your opportunity.

Wales are never short on back-row options, and James Botham is just another excellent flanker off the production line. While he has played just six games for Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship, he has impressed in those matches, averaging over 12 tackles and a turnover per game.

With Jac Morgan sidelined, more on that later, Botham has a great opportunity to cement his place in the squad.

James Ratti

Staying on the topic of getting an opportunity and taking it, Ospreys forward James Ratti is in line for a Test debut against the Springboks after being called into Gatland’s squad on the morning of the team announcement.

With locks Dafydd Jenkins, Will Rowlands and Christ Tshiunza unavailable and Adam Beard injured, the gap opened for Ratti who was certainly unlucky to miss out on the initial squad selection.

The Ospreys workhorse hit double digits on average in the carry and tackle count in the URC this campaign and is a sound option in the lineout. He is clearly low down in Gatland’s pecking order, but perhaps he can change that against the fierce Springbok pack.

Wales team: Dewi Lake returns as Warren Gatland backs rookie nine against Springboks

Dewi Lake

Quite simply, it will be fantastic to see the brilliant hooker back where he belongs, on the big stage. Dewi Lake was trending towards becoming a truly world-class international hooker but injuries have hampered his development at the highest level.

It shows how highly Gatland regards him, as he takes over the captaincy against the world champions on his return – even though he was short on options.

Plus, there is the added bonus of him going toe-to-toe against Malcolm Marx again after the pair traded verbals during the 2021 Test series in South Africa – a tasty subplot.

Article continues below

Malcolm Marx v Dewi Lake!

LET'S GO!!! #RSAvWAL #rugby pic.twitter.com/fnzdpgXhIm

— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) June 18, 2024

Ellis Bevan

Cardiff scrum-half Ellis Bevan has certainly left an impression on Gatland who has backed the 24-year-old scrum-half in the starting line-up on debut.

Bevan was a regular fixture in the Cardiff team throughout the URC season and has taken his chance in training to move ahead of Gareth Davies and Kieran Hardy in the pecking order.

“He’s impressed us at training,” the Wales boss said. “He’s got a left foot which gives us a different kicking option. The way he’s worked, the extras he’s done after training, he’s got a strong voice and been really positive about taking feedback from the coaches.

“We see a huge amount of growth in him and we wanted to find out about someone else in that position to give us some more depth.”

Liam Williams

Back from his stint in Japan and right back into the starting line-up after missing the Six Nations. With all the inexperience in the Wales starting XV, Liam Williams is a welcome sight for sore Welsh fans’ eyes.

The British and Irish Lions back is a real game-breaker and the kind of player that can cause the Springboks all kinds of headaches. Like Lake, it is also a pleasure to see Williams back in the Wales jersey.

Cameron Winnett

With Williams returning, it was not out of the question that Gatland would drop Cameron Winnett out of his starting XV, but instead, he has stuck by the youngster who was a standout for the men in red in a dire Six Nations campaign.

The 21-year-old did not rest on his laurels during the club season as he kept his high standards throughout the campaign for Cardiff.

Springboks team winners and losers as Rassie Erasmus stuns with picks for Wales showdown

Losers

Jac Morgan

Accompanied with the team announcement was the confirmation that Morgan has been ruled out for the July internationals. It’s another hammer blow for the extremely talented flanker who also missed the Six Nations after skippering his country at the World Cup last year.

“He’s pretty gutted,” said Gatland. “He had a tight hamstring when he played against Munster so we’ve been looking after him but unfortunately he’s been ruled out. It gives him an opportunity to have a full pre-season.”

Hopefully, a full pre-season will allow him to recover and hit his previous highs.

Kieran Hardy

While we can understand Gatland’s reasonings with backing Bevan in the scrum-half role has he explores his option, surely Hardy deserved a shot in some shape or form.

Hardy was one of the standouts for Wales under Wayne Pivac but since Galtand’s return he has started just once and was omitted from the World Cup squad.

Cory Hill

A polarising decision from Gatland to call-up the second-rower in the first place but to then not play him despite the extended injury list seems just as questionable.

Cory Hill was a go-to pick for the New Zealander before stepping down from the role in 2019 and while Gatland may have been eager to select him, perhaps it would have been better to have Ratti involved from the get go.

Constant front-row changes

Gatland is clearly struggling to find his ideal front-row starting combination, with Henry Thomas becoming the seventh different number three to start in the last seven games.

Dillon Lewis, Harri O’Connor, Keiron Assiratti, Archie Griffin, Leon Brown and Tomas Francis have featured in the role before Thomas as the revolving door in the position continues. This is hardly the situation you want to be in against the best scrummaging international team.

It’s still beggars belief that he simply doesn’t back the Ospreys starters.

READ MORE: England team winners and losers as Steve Borthwick backs Marcus Smith against Japan